Last Friday was a bit of a big night out as my mate Feargal is off to get married. Tomorrow actually, and it’s a shame I can’t make it as I will be en route to Dallas.

Anyway, it was also kind of David’s last night out in Belfast for a while (see below), so it turned into quite a large night out. Firstly we started off in Bar Bacca, which really used to be one of my favourite bars in Belfast, but it was very disappointing in that there was no talent there whatsoever. After that, David, Christine, Jill and I said our fond fairwell to Feargal and headed off to the opening of Belfast’s latest hotel, Malmaison. All I can say is horrible.

The place looked like something out of American Psycho and the whole atmosphere was one of 80s over-indulgence – whether it was the champagne flowing everywhere or the free oyster and seafood bar, I didn’t like it. And I didn’t like the people there either. Now it might be fine if you are staying there, but I would not go back to the bar in a hurry.

So then we moved on to another new venue in Belfast, the Pott House, and I have to say it freaked me out a bit. Looking back on it now, I think maybe that was just after Malmaison. The style is much more modern in that it’s concrete and yellow strip lights – quite funky really but a bit lacking in atmosphere. Still it’s early days yet, and the Sugar Room nightclub is now open so I think I’ll probably be back soon to try it out.

Then we went off to Milk, before ending up at Padraig’s flat for an impromptu party. I will spare you the sight of me wearing a pigtail wig, so here’s one of DJ Jill on the decks instead. The trip home was a bit hazy, and that was after the police had walked right into the middle of Padraig’s living room without us hearing them ! I did get a girl’s phone number, but luckily I had taken her photo, and decided I had been suffering from beer goggles when I looked back at it on Monday.